The present study was aimed to determine the protective effects of Plantago major L (PM) leaf extracts on the testicular torsion/detorsion (T/D)-induced ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Twenty-four mature male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200-220 g, were selected. They were randomly divided into four groups of six animals each: Sham (sham-operated rats; all the surg...

Ca2+ (calcium) homoeostasis and signalling rely on physical contacts between Ca2+ sensors in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and Ca2+ channels in the PM (plasma membrane). STIM1 (stromal interaction molecule 1) and STIM2 Ca2+ sensors oligomerize upon Ca2+ depletion in the ER lumen, contact phosphoinositides at the PM via their cytosolic lysine (K)-rich domains, and activate Ca2+ channels. Differ...

We briefly discuss the latest ASCA results on the X–ray spectral properties of high-redshift radio-quiet quasars.

The higher incidence of cardiovascular events in the morning is accompanied by an increased vascular tone. However, there are few published studies designed to evaluate the diurnal variation of vascular and endothelial parameters in healthy subjects. In the present investigation, we evaluated the diurnal variation in brachial artery diameter (BAD), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and endothelium-i...

The evolution of the abundance of galaxy clusters depends sensitively on the value of the cosmological density parameter, Ω0. Recent ASCA data are used to quantify this evolution as measured by the cluster X-ray temperature function. A χ minimisation fit to the cumulative temperature function, as well as a maximum likelihood estimate (which requires additional assumptions about cluster luminosi...

The physiological basis of training responses in women, and particularly older women, is not well understood. Short-term aerobic training (STAT) was used to probe the effects of age and hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) on women's ability to rapidly change peak uptake ( VO(2max)), plasma volume and cardiac function. A total of 39 females participated in the STAT programme: 15 younger (Y; aged 1...

Poor air quality in some areas of the US has caused regulators to increase regulatory pressure on sources of air pollution. Historically, cotton producers have not been targeted by regulators to reduce emissions through mandatory implementation of particulate matter (PM) control strategies. However, the use of inaccurate PM emission factors for field operations (including cotton harvesting) has...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate if physical functioning is different in female caregivers of children with physical disabilities compared with female caregivers of children with nondisabling medical illnesses, and to investigate the factors associated with functioning level. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. SETTING University-based clinics. PATIENTS Ninety consecutive female caregivers of children p...